Assembly Members of the Tema Metropolitan Assembly (TMA) on Tuesday succeeded in electing a new Presiding Member (PM) after failing to do so two consecutive times.

Mr. Joseph Koto, a long serving Assembly Member for the Low Cost Electoral Area, Tema Community Nine, finally got the nod from his colleagues after several attempts to get the PM seat.

Mr Koto polled 23 votes representing 72 per cent of the 32 votes cast, meeting the requirement of the Local Government Act which enjoins a winner to obtain at least two-thirds of the votes cast.

His contender, Mrs Doreen Ayensu, a government appointee, also got nine of the votes.

The PM was sworn into office by Mr Joseph McAli, Tema Circuit Court Two judge, after being declared winner by Nana Oduro Numapau Awuah, Tema Metropolitan Electoral Officer.

In his acceptance speech, he called for unity among the government appointees and the elected Assembly Members.

He pledged to work effectively with all Assembly Members to achieve the “Tema Restoration Agenda”.

Mr Felix Mensah Nii Anang-La, Tema Metropolitan Chief Executive, thanked Assembly Members for successfully electing a PM as the absence of one affected the planning of the Assembly.